This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
It is important to maintain a proper amount of oil in an engine in order for the engine to be properly lubricated. Typically, engines are equipped with a dipstick that is manually removed from an engine in order to observe the oil level of the oil on the dipstick. Although the oil dipstick is a reliable method of detecting the oil level, it requires that the vehicle operator open the vehicle hood and pull the dipstick out of the engine. Optional engine oil switches exist that notify an operator that the oil level is low. These oil switches have to be wired into the vehicle and fixedly mounted within the oil pan at a level representative of a minimum level at which the user needs to be notified of the low oil condition. Therefore, the typical oil level sensor is only useful for providing a low oil indicator when a low oil condition exists.
The present disclosure provides implementation of a wireless oil level sensor mounted to an oil plug of an engine. The oil pressure sensor detects a pressure which can then be used to determine a volume or level of oil above the sensor. The sensor pressure reading can be associated with an oil level that can then be transmitted to a vehicle control unit. The oil pressure sensor is designed to be isolated from the heated oil within the oil pan, and is mounted external to the oil pan while communicating with the oil through a passage in the oil drain plug.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.